SUMMARY: In an effort to end sleep disruptions caused by their partner's bad breath and other issues, many couples are now choosing to sleep in separate beds, according to a recent report from the National Sleep Foundation.

Posted: July 28, 2010

In an effort to end sleep disruptions caused by their partner's bad breath and other issues, many couples are now choosing to sleep in separate beds, according to a recent report from the National Sleep Foundation.

The study indicated that one in four married couples sleep in separate rooms, the New York Times reports. Respondents listed different reasons for their decision, but bad breath is on the list.

"What happened in the last decade is that people are suddenly making their own sleep a priority," Meir Kryger, a sleep specialist at Gaylord Hospital in Connecticut told the news source. "If their rest is being impaired by their partner, the attitude now is that I don’t have to put up with this."

Couples often report their partner's halitosis as a significant problem first thing in the morning. As saliva and swallowing decreases during the hours an individual sleeps, bacteria builds up on the surfaces of their mouth, often resulting in bad breath.

While some commentators, like Tracy Clark-Flory who writes for Salon.com, have said that sleeping apart may not guarantee marital bliss, it may be a workable solution to a partner's persistent bad breath.